A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and Afrobus Ghana Limited (AGL), an automobile assembling company from Turkey, to build and operate a bus assembling plant in the Central Regional capital, Cape Coast.

The move formed part of the numerous interventions by the government to seek strategic investors to expand location economies through the “One district, One factory” (1D1F) industrialisation and job creation policy.
Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, a Deputy Minister of Trade in-charge of Industry, disclosed this at a town hall meeting held in Cape Coast on Tuesday to set the records straight on government policies and programmes, address concerns and clear any ambiguity on the minds of the people.
In attendance were chiefs, opinion leaders, assembly members, youth groups, non-governmental organisations, traders, persons with disability and heads of departments.

They discussed government policies, projects and programmes.
Various institutional heads addressed the people on government programmes such as the Planting for Food and Jobs, 1D1F, free SHS, transportation and infrastructure for poverty eradication programme (IPEP) among others.
Mr Ahomka-Lindsay said a site had been secured at Ankaful and UCC for construction works to commence before the year ends.
The project will engage the services of over 1,400 skilled and unskilled labour during and after construction.
In addition to that, 13 skilled personnel from diverse fields would soon be sent to Turkey for intensive training to re-train other employees upon their return.
The collaboration, he noted will bridge the industry-academia gap to engage the global car assembling giant to explore in the areas of technology transfer, equipment and virtual learning.
“We are optimistic that the collaboration would bridge the gap between academia and industry by addressing the inefficiencies in infrastructural, technology and resources to deliver cutting-edge manpower capable of meeting the target of the industry.”
That, he stated, would enable government and partners to address critical labour needs to successfully integrate students of the university into the world of work as well as scores of skilled workforce in the Cape Coast metropolis.
He assured that government remained committed to ensuring that graduates acquired the requisite knowledge and the technological know-how to support the socio-economic transformation agenda of the country to significantly ease the rising unemployment challenges.
Mr Ahomka-Lindsay also hinted that government was working hard to extend the railway infrastructure to the ancient capital of Ghana to give strong boost to its localisation agenda.
“The railway sector had been identified as very crucial for the development of every country,” he added.
Mr John Doku, Regional Officer of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, also announced that about 35 projects under 1D1F in 17 districts of the region were ongoing and assured that all districts would be served before the government’s four-year mandate ended.GNA